MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

October 31, 2022

Rob Thomson

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Game 3 postponement

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with questions for Rob Thomson.

Q. What does this do to your pitching plans?

ROB THOMSON: So tomorrow will be Ranger. That will line him up for a potential Game 7. And then we'll go Nola on regular rest. And then if we don't use him in the next couple of days, we'll go Syndergaard Game 5. If we do use him, it might be Gibson, and we're going to give Wheeler extra rest. And he'll be still Game 6.

Q. Do you have any health update on Wheeler?

ROB THOMSON: He's fine. It's just, it's late in the season, velocity's dropped a little bit, he's fatigued. I just feel like he needs more time.

Q. Did you have an inkling this might happen tonight?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I did, just looking at the radar, you know? It looked like it was going to pick up over the course of the night and it looks like at 9 o'clock it's going to be raining pretty hard, so it's the right decision, really.

Q. You mentioned Gibson. I understand you talked to him before the first series. What was that conversation like? How did he take it? And have you been relatively impressed with his demeanor since?

ROB THOMSON: He's been great. He's a pro. I talked to him about he's probably not going to be in the rotation but use him out of the bullpen, long, maybe for an inning here and there, depending upon the matchup and the pocket, complete professional, and he's been a leader down there and helping people stay calm and poised and it's been great.

Q. Is Wheeler's elbow, is it a similar situation to earlier this year?

ROB THOMSON: He's fine. It's fatigue.

Q. If Nola is needed these next two games and Kyle is needed to pitch Game 5, how long could he go? Is he a two-, three-inning guy, kind of like a Noah situation?

ROB THOMSON: I think so. He's probably a 60-, 65-pitch guy. Yeah, I think that's safe.

Q. Earlier I asked Ranger how it is that he stays so calm in these situations being a kid. This is his first appearance in a World Series and in the postseason at large. What do you attribute that to? How does he stay so calm and collected?

ROB THOMSON: I think just some guys are like that. Some guys get sped up, some guys get a little excited, and some guys their heartbeat stays the same, and Ranger is one of those guys. Nothing seems to affect him, situation, game state doesn't, nothing really bothers him. He's really great about that.

Q. Did you see, did you guys figure out what was wrong with Kyle or why he got hit so hard in September? And what did you see in San Diego from him in the four outs that he got?

ROB THOMSON: Who?

Q. Kyle Gibson?

ROB THOMSON: Oh, yeah, I think fatigue, I think more than anything. You saw in the one appearance his velocity went back up. It was like 95, good sink. Maybe a little rusty, but at least the arm strength was back. And I think it was a fatigue factor coming down the stretch for him.

Q. A delay like this helps? Hurts? Guys, I'm sure, were ready to go tonight. Any reaction on how this might affect 'em or help 'em?

ROB THOMSON: No, they were good. They're getting in the shower and they're going home. They will come back and strap it on again tomorrow.

Q. Kind of sort of to follow up on that, your team has been loose through this playoff and through this run towards the end of the season. How much do you think that kind of mentality helps them in a situation like this where you're geared up and ready to play and now, as you said, they're going home?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I think it factors a great deal because that's the way they are. They're ready to play, and if we don't play, they're good with it. They will go home, get a good night's sleep, and come back and do it again tomorrow.

But I think the biggest thing is that they want to play in dry conditions. They really do. I mean, they will play in the wet. They don't care. But I think everybody would rather just play in dry conditions. We know we're going to get it in. It's going to be fair for everybody, and we'll go get it.

Q. Is it a positive development for you guys that the Syndergaard or Gibson game will come up the day before an off day?

ROB THOMSON: That's part of it too. So we can empty our bullpen, so to speak, and then we have a day off and everybody should be ready to go the next day.